The present application relates to a touch-sensitive sheet member, an input device using the same, and an electronic apparatus using the input device. More particularly, it relates to the touch-sensitive sheet member and the input device that are applicable to the electronic apparatus such as a digital camera, a video camera, a mobile phone, a mobile terminal device, a desk-top type personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as “PC”), a note type PC, an automated teller machine, which are provided with a touch-sensitive input function and presents sense of touch when touching an icon screen.
In resent years, a user (operator) has imaged a subject by using a digital camera equipped with various kinds of operation modes and has taken various contents in a mobile terminal device such as a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) and the like so as to utilize them. The digital camera, the mobile terminal device and the like are provided with input devices. A key board, an input unit such as a JOG dial, a touch panel combining a display unit and the like are used for the input device.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Heisei 02-230310 has disclosed a menu selection device in connection with a function of the above-mentioned input device (see page 2 and FIG. 1 thereof). This menu selection device contains an item selection unit and an item input unit. The item input unit is provided on the item selection unit. The selection and the input of an item are allotted to the same key and the item display and the item selection input key are juxtaposed.
Also, Japanese patent Application Publication No. 2005-063227 has disclosed an input device (see page 8 and FIG. 15 thereof). This input device is provided a window opening at a predetermined position of a casing. A user performs slide-operating on an operation button exposed from this window opening to execute an item selection, and performs press-operating on an operation knob to zoom and display a predetermined region in a specified item selection screen.
Here, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-070505 has disclosed an input device accompanied by vibrations (see page 5 and FIG. 3 thereof), which is mountable on an electronic apparatus such as an air conditioner or an audio instrument. This input device includes an operation unit possessing functions of a rotary switch, of a push switch, and of a slide switch concurrently, and the selection of the operation item and input determination operation are executed by rotating, sliding or depressing the operation unit. The vibrations are accompanied on an occasion of the input determination operation.
In addition, also an input device combined with an actuator has been developed. An actuator is a device in which two layers or more of piezoelectric elements having different amounts of strain or a piezoelectric element and a non-piezoelectric element are bonded together and when applying a vibration control voltage to the piezoelectric elements of this bonded body, bending deformation of the bonded body, which occurs caused by the difference of the amounts of strain in the piezoelectric elements, is mechanically utilized (vibration-body function).
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-094389 has disclosed an electronic apparatus including this kind of piezoelectric actuator and an input and output device (see page 9 and FIG. 4 thereof). This electronic apparatus is provided with an input and output device including a piezoelectric actuator of a multi-layer piezoelectric bimorph type and a touch panel. The piezoelectric actuator performs feedback of different senses of touch to a user via a touch panel in response to the kinds of the information. The input and output device has a piezoelectric-body-supporting structure mounted with a piezoelectric actuator on a support frame through a support portion. The support portion is pasted at the center upper portion of the piezoelectric actuator and this support portion is attached to the touch panel. Any vibrations are transmitted to the touch panel when a vibration control voltage is supplied to the piezoelectric actuator.
In the sense of touch feedback controls using the piezoelectric actuator, the touch panel detects inputs (position and pressed force) from the outside. The control system triggers the input information from the touch panel and vibrates the touch panel or the housing.